Developing reel



Oct 21, 1952 A. DEL Pozo, JR., ET AL 2,514,755

' DEVELOPING 'REEL V Filed March 2B 194'? NV NToR. en @/fer ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, `1952 'Albert nely roze,

Jr., and Michael w-lmeitenieiter, New York,`N. Y.

Application Marci; 2s, 1947, serial Natrium A''he present invention relatesto apparatus for processing and in particular, developing photo` graphic film andthelike. e

` It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for processing and in particular, "developing 4photographic iilm which yields 'a Substantially perfect uniformity of distribution of the processing solution over the entiresurface of the iilrn. y e

It is another important object of the present invention to provide an improved 4photographic processing and in particular,` developing apparatuswhch is, compact so as `to take up a minimum of space in the usually crowded quarters offtthe amateur, which vis portableA so as to be readily installed foruse and removed'forstorage when ,not needed, `and which is'economic in price inbrderf to be within reach of every amateur wishing to perfect his work without excessive additional expense. p e' ',It is a further object of the` present invention toprovide photographic equipment for home use which is yparticularly. adapted for reversal processing and'j multiple exposure to take place in a continuous operation.

,Another object of the invention is to provide photographic processing equipment with vtime and costjsaving features accomplished by a motor drive rendering the operation automatic, andv a configuration specifically designedto 'require a minimum of processing solution. l

A further object of the present invention is to providera motor driven rack for processing `photographic film with adjustable speed characteristics to adapt the same to varying processing conditions and requirements.

`A still further object of the present invention is to provide photographic film processing equipment capable of processing and,A particularly, developing a complete standard length-roll of film at one time, eliminating the need for splicing and'further enhancing uniformity of proc .essing. l

Other objects of theinvention and the manner in which the same are attained` will become apfparent as this specification proceeds.

The `present inventioncontemplates to achieve thev above objectives byproviding a film processing rack comprising two reels. The diameters of these reels are suiciently differentpto permit,

in one position of the device, one reel to iit inside the other. OneA of the reels is mounted on a hollow shaft whichmay be operatively connected to amotor drive, and the other reel is mounted on a second shaft which is `arranged for sliding 7 Claims. (o1. 242-17) displacement within the first-named. hollow shaft, atelescopic arrangement supporting the two reels alongside each other aswell as one on top of th'eother.y AsV will be more fully explained below, the devceincludes some means for locking" and disengag'ing the two reels to` and from one anotheigsothat the two reels may be driven separately'f'aswell as jointlyyother means for coupling the `hollow shaft to the motordrive, a tiltingmechanism' for lifting the device from a tray withoutthe need for removing the Vdevice from its support, as well-as suitable `mounting means for the newpiece ofphotographic equipment of the invention.

' l `In the'idrawings accompanyingvthe present specification and forming part thereof, a preferred embodiment of the invention" is illustrated diagrammatically, by way of example, but we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction, design and mode of operation shown and described for purposes of illustration, as numerous variations and modifications within the scope of the appendedclairnsmaybe made without departure from the spiritof the invention and without sacrifice of any of the advantages thereof.

`In the drawings:` Fig. 1 isa blown up,;perspective view, of one preferred embodiment of the apparatus ofthe present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a` vertical section therethrough, with the reels in telescoped position and shown as immersed'inatank.

'Referring `now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, `wherein like-parts areindicated by identical `reference numerals, a casing l0 is Ashown to containthereina smallelectric motor l2 which may have conventional cord connection to the `house current and be controlled by thedial switch I3.

The motor l2 may have` the vertical shaft H carrying a bevel gear l5. A cooperating bevel `gear `I6 which engages the gearlS, is mounted on a sleevefll journalled in bearings i8 set in opposedwalls of the casing Ill.` The sleeve l1 projects slightly` from eithersidevothe casing lil and servesvas a bearing for one end of a hollow shaftlS. 'i -1 l y.

Thev end ofshaft- I9, which is arranged within the sleeve ll,V is internallythreaded to receive the correspondingly threaded clutch screw 20 inserted through the end of the sleeve `ll at one side oflthecasing l0.l When `the clutch screw 20 is turned, itbears against the rcontiguous projection of the sleeve Il' and draws the hollow shaft I9 inwardly thereinto. so that the ring 2| fixed in suitable position on the shaft I9, at the opposed end of the casing I0, is frctionally engaged against the contiguous projecting edge of the sleeve I'I, to rotate therewith when the sleeve I1 is rotated by the motor I2 and gears |5 and I6.

Fixed on the hollow shaft I 9 is a reel 22, preferably formed of two end sprockets 23 having the radial fingers `21| .and the bars 25 extending between the fingers 24. One or more of the bars 25 may be provided with spacer or guide pins 26, for the purpose of spacing or separating adjacent film windings. One of the bars 25 may be made radially adjustable on its supporting fingers 24 to take up slack on the film when moist,.

in a manner readily understood and not shown.

A second shaft 30 is arranged for sliding, tele-` This shaft 3U also mounts a second or outer reelv 3| which comprises asprocket 32 at one end, and a ring, 3.3` at the other, inner end, so that the reel 3| may fit over the inner reel 22, with the bars 34 extending between the sprocket fingers' 35 and the ring 33. One or more of the bars 34 may yalso be provided'vwith film spacing pins 36 and-oneof the bars 34 may, likewise, be arranged for adjustable radial displacement, in a manner readily understood and not thought necessary to ,be shown, for thepurpose of taking up any slack in -the film that might result from the moistening of the film. h

A lock pin -31 may be carried on the sprocket 32, adapted to engage a depression vor aperture 3|!v in the corresponding sprocket 23 of the reel I9, to interlock the tworeels for simultaneous rotation, whendesired. i

Means may be provided for-fsupportingthe forward or inner end of the reel 3| against vibration during-rotation. One form of such means may comprise the sprocket 40 mounted on shaft I9, intermediate the reel 22 and the ring 2|, in slidable relationy thereto, whose fin- ,gers llvmay have shoulders 42 formed on their ends toA frictionally engage thereon the ring 33 f the reel 3 I..v ,x v

The casing IIJ may be pivotally connected with the aid of a stop hinge 43 either-to a supporting table or, asvillu-strated, to a supporting plate which, by means of -a bracket 45 and a screw 46, may betremovably secured to a table top or the like. i Y

A tray or trough 41 may be positioned adja- ,cent the housing I0, to contain the developing liquid, or the like, so that the reels 22 and 3| may be partly immersed ltherein when in horizontalposition.` l In the operation of the apparatus according to the invention, the film to` be processed is wound on the reels. The winding is begun on the inner reel 22, while the outer reel isin withdrawn position relative thereto and is stationary Whilethe inner reel 22 is turned for the winding. When ,winding of the inner reel is completed, the outer reel 3| is telescopedthereover and interlocked therewith,` the film continuation is brought out between two of its bars 34,v and the'winding is continued on the reel 3|. When the winding operation is completed, the whole device is tilted upward until stopped by the hinge I I3 fto permit proper placement of the trough 47, whereupon the device is returned to its horizontal position, with the lower portions of the reel limmersed in the liquid in the trough. .OperationY ofV the Ymotor results in a uniform rotation of the reels and a uniform, homoge l neous distribution of developing or other procis reversed and further processing is continued in the simple, time saving manner described.

This completes the description of the embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrated in the drawings and of the methods of its operation. Itwill be readily apparent that manyadvantages are inherent in the film processing apparatus of the invention; the most significant of which are the compactness and space saving characteristics, its time and labor saving aspects, all coupled with the uniform, hornogeneous distribution of processing fiuid over the entire surface of the film made possible'` by it. We claim: h Y 1.'.A device for supporting a roll of filmduring processing, comprising, in combination, .a motor, a shaftdriven by saidmotonja reel axially mounted on the said shaft',` a second shaft supported on said first named vshaft for displacement in axial direction relative thereto, and a second reel adapted to fit over said first reel -axially mounted by one end on said second 'shaft in overhanging relation thereto, whereby said second reel may be .disposed-over said rst reel .and in one position and to one side' 'of said first reel in anotherposition. Y Y s 2. A device for Vsupporting-a. roll of film during processing, comprisinga pair of teles'coping shafts, a reel axially' mounted 'on each of said shafts, one of said reels being of greater diam# eter than the` other of said reels and adapted to fit thereover, at least one of said reels sup` ported by one end in overhanging position on its supporting shaft, whereby said reels may be nested one within the other in one position and axially, displacedrelative one another in another position, driving means operatively associated with one of said shafts, and ',meansifor interengaging said reels when in nested position to be thereby simultaneously driven by said'driv ing means. 'y y,

3. A device for supporting aroll of film during processing, comprising ya pair of telescoping shafts, a motor operatively associated with the outer of said shafts, Ia reel axially and iixedly mounted on said outer shaft, a second reel of greater diameter than said first named reel axially mounted by one end on the' inner of said shaft in 'overhanging position relativethereto; whereby said second reel may be nested over said first reel in. voneY position and axially displaced to one side thereof in another position, and means for interlocking said second reel over and to said first reel whereby said reels'may be simultaneously driven by said motor;

fl. The device of,claim 3 whereinv said inner shaft is rotatably as well as laxially slidably disf posed inv said outer shaft whereby said reels -may be rotated'i'ndependently ofvone another' ywhen not in interlocked position. 5.v Thedevice of claim 4 wherein clutch means are provided for engaging and disengaging said Aouter'shaft with its operatively associated motor.'

5 6 6. The device of claim 5 in which said shafts UNITED STATES PATENTS and said motor are tiltably mounted on a. sup- Number Name Dte pomng Strucufe 877,200 Keefe Jan. 21, 190e 7. The devlce of claim 3 associated with a. 1,476,425 Shows Dm 4 1923 supporting structure andmeans for tiltably sup- 5 1,924,944 Kttredge Aug. 2.9y 1933 porting said shafts and said motor on Said sup- 1,979,106 Henderson Oct 30, 1934 poftmg Structu 2,142,821 Ben .im 3, 1939 ALBERT DEL Pozo, Jn. 2,285,019 DeYette June 2, 1942 MICHAEL W, METTENLEITER lo 2,321,812 Heller et al June 15, 1943 R RE FOREIGN PATENTS EFE NCES CITED Number Country Date The following references are of record in the 370,630 Italy n ADL 25. 1939 le of this patent: 512,527 Great Britain Mar. 14, 1938 

